Repository of the Academy's Library
Not a member yet
212609 research outputs found
Sort by
Isolation of Kurthia gibsonii from non-gonorrheal urethritis: Implications for the pathomechanism upon surveying the literature
No full textThe incidence and number of species involved in the spectrum of sexually transmitted infections continue to increase. Laboratories have to be prepared for identification of unusual microbes. In our practice, a male patient had recurring urethritis and balanitis after having repeated unprotected insertive sexual intercourse with female piglets. He also had allergy to scents and some metals, otherwise he showed no general symptoms. Specimens were swabbed from the urethra, inflamed glans, rectum, mouth onto several culture media, subsequently isolates were tested for their morphology, biochemical activity. Kurthia gibsonii was isolated from urethra and glans. No concomitant infection with other microbes was detected, haemoculture was negative. Relying upon antibiotic sensitivity test, he was cured with 2 × 500 mg oral cefuroxime for 15 days, and topical gentamycin cream for 2 months. This is the first reported sexually transmitted, zoonotic infection without generalization by Kurthia spp. We report first the antibiogram of K. gibsonii. Slight differences in the antibiotic sensitivity suggest independent infection and sensitivity of urethral and mucous membrane tissues to distinct K. gibsonii strains. Allergy of the patient might predispose to opportunistic infection. Such aspects ought to be tested in details in further cases
Anti-chlamydial effect of plant peptides
No full textEven in asymptomatic cases of Chlamydia trachomatis infection, the aim of the antibiotic strategy is eradication of the pathogen so as to avoid the severe late sequelae, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and tubal infertility. Although first-line antimicrobial agents have been demonstrated to be predominantly successful in the treatment of C. trachomatis infection, treatment failures have been observed in some cases. Rich source of antimicrobial peptides was recently discovered in Medicago species, which act in plants as differentiation factors of the endosymbiotic bacterium partner. Several of these symbiotic plant peptides have proved to be potent killers of various bacteria in vitro. We show here that 7 of 11 peptides tested exhibited antimicrobial activity against C. trachomatis D, and that the killing activity of these peptides is most likely due to their interaction with specific bacterial targets
Hormones in the immune system and their possible role. A critical review
No full textImmune cells synthesize, store and secrete hormones, which are identical with the hormones of the endocrine glands. These are: the POMC hormones (ACTH, endorphin), the thyroid system hormones (TRH, TSH, T3), growth hormone (GH), prolactin, melatonin, histamine, serotonin, catecholamines, GnRH, LHRH, hCG, renin, VIP, ANG II. This means that the immune cells contain all of the hormones, which were searched at all and they also have receptors for these hormones. From this point of view the immune cells are similar to the unicells (Tetrahymena), so it can be supposed that these cells retained the properties characteristic at a low level of phylogeny while other cells during the evolution accumulated to form endocrine glands. In contrast to the glandular endocrine cells, immune cells are polyproducers and polyreceivers. As they are mobile cells, they are able to transport the stored hormone to different places (packed transport) or attracted by local factors, accumulate in the neighborhood of the target, synthesizing and secreting hormones locally. This is taking place, e.g. in the case of endorphin, where the accumulating immune cells calms pain caused by the inflammation. The targeted packed transport is more economical than the hormone-pouring to the blood circulation of glandular endocrines and the targeting also cares the other receptor-bearing cells timely not needed the effect. Mostly the immune-effects of immune-cell derived hormones were studied (except endorphin), however, it is not exactly cleared, while the system could have scarcely studied important roles in other cases. The evolutionary aspects and the known as well, as possible roles of immune-endocrine system and their hormones are listed and discussed
Novel and sensitive qPCR assays for the detection and identification of aspergillosis causing species
No full textDespite concerted efforts, diagnosis of aspergillosis is still a great challenge to clinical microbiology laboratories. Along with the requirement for high sensitivity and specificity, species-specific identification is important. We developed rapid, sensitive and species-specific qPCR assays using the TaqMan technology for the detection and identification of Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus terreus. The assays were designed to target orthologs of the Streptomyces factor C gene that are only found in a few species of filamentous fungi. Fungi acquired this gene through horizontal gene transfer and divergence of the gene allows identification of species. The assays have potential as a molecular diagnosis tool for the early detection of fungal infection caused by Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus terreus, which merits future diagnostic studies. The assays were sensitive enough to detect a few genomic equivalents in blood samples
In vitro study on the effect of doxycycline on the microbial activity of soil determined by redox-potential measuring system
No full textThe potential effect of doxycycline on the microbial activity was investigated in three types of soil. Soil samples were spiked with doxycycline, incubated at 25°C and tested at 0, 2, 4 and 6 days after treatment. The microbiological activity of the soil was characterized by the viable count determined by plate pouring and by the time necessary to reach a defined rate of the redox-potential decrease termed as time to detection (TTD).The viable count of the samples was not changed during the storage. The TTD values, however exhibited a significant increase in the 0.2–1.6 mg/kg doxycycline concentration range compared to the untreated samples indicating concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on microbial activity. The potency of the effect was different in the 3 soil types. To describe the combined effect of the doxycycline concentration and time on the biological activity of one type of soil a mathematical model was constructed and applied.The change of microbial metabolic rate could be measured also without (detectable) change of microbial count when the traditional microbiological methods are not applicable. The applied new redox potential measurement-based method is a simple and useful procedure for the examination of microbial activity of soil and its potential inhibition by antibiotics
Virulence factors, antimicrobial susceptibility and molecular characterization of Streptococcus agalactiae isolated from pregnant women
No full textForty-one Streptococcus agalactiae isolates collected from pregnant women at 35–37 weeks of gestation were analysed for their capsular types, antimicrobial resistance determinants, distribution of virulence factors and genetic relatedness using PCR and multiplex PCR. Capsular type III was predominant (65.8%), followed by capsular type II (14.6%), Ib (7.3%), and V(4.9%). All isolates were susceptible to penicillin, vancomycin, linezolid and quinupristin-dalfopristin. Resistance to tetracycline, erythromycin and clindamycin were found in 97.6%, 24.4%, and 14.6% of isolates, respectively. The most common antimicrobial resistance gene was tetM found in 97.6% of the isolates followed by ermTR and ermB found in 12% and 7.3% of isolates, respectively. The most common virulence gene was hly (100%), followed by scpB (97.6%), bca (97.6%), rib (53.65%) and bac (4.9%). The insertion sequence IS1548 was found in 63.4% of isolates. By multi locus variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) typing, 30 different allelic profiles or MLVA types (MTs) were identified. The most frequent was the MT1 (5/41, 12.2%) and followed by MT2 (4/41, 9.75%). Our data revealed that population structure of these isolates is highly diverse and indicates different MLVA types
Estudios sobre Rubiáceas Mexicanas XLVII : Randia keniae (Rubiaceae, Gardenieae) una nueva especie en Oaxaca
No full textA new species named as Randia keniae (Gardenieae tribe) was collected in the State Oaxaca (Mexico), by Kenia Velasco Gutierrez in the framework of the collecting program of SERBO. It is related to R. hypoleuca Borhidi et E. Martínez of Michoacan and Oaxaca, but differs from it by having sessile to subsessile obovate leaves, with rounded apex and cuneate base, flowers with truncate calyx tube and without or with very short distant teeth, half as long corolla tube glabrous on both sides and rounded obovate corolla lobes. It grows in tropical deciduous forest in contact with the gallery forest of the Chuquia river. The new taxon may be an endemic one to the Flora of Mexico
Estudios sobre Rubiáceas Mexicanas XLVIII : Una nueva especie del género Randia (Rubiaceae, Guettardeae) en el Estado Michoacán
No full textA new species of Randia is described from a collection made by José C. Soto Nuñez in Michoacán. It is similar to R. laevigatoides Borhidi spreading from Guerrero to Oaxaca and Chiapas, but differs from it in having bisexual flowers, leaves with obtuse to rounded base, calyx with 2 to 5 mm long linear to linear-obovate lobes, shorter corolla with green tube glabrous inside
Bibliography of foliicolous lichenized fungi, 1952–2013
No full textThe bibliography of foliicolous lichenised fungi is compiled, listing publications of the last 60 years following Santesson’s world monograph on the foliicolous lichens. It consists of 708 scientific papers, journal publications, books, posters, exsiccates, dissertation manuscripts
Acaricidal activity of Melissa officinalis oil and its formulation on Tetranychus urticae and the predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Tetranychidae and Phytoseiidae)
No full textThe deterrent and toxicity effects of Melissa officinalis L. essential oil on Tetranychus urticae Koch were studied under laboratory conditions. Leaf discs treated with increasing concentrations of lemon balm oil showed high percentage of repellency (64–86%), respectively. The oviposition deterrent indices (ODI) of Melissa oil was ranged (74–94%) for T. urticae at concentration (0.3–1%). The direct contact application of M. officinalis oil proved to be the most toxic application on various stages of T. urticae compared to leaf dipping, fumigation and systemic applications. Oil formulation (Melissacide) was shown to be the effective one against T. urticae nymphs, females and eggs (LC50 = 0.03, 0.03 and 0.04%) compared to Melissa oil.The toxicity of M. officinalis oil and Melissacide by direct spray to females and eggs of the predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) was tested. The predator N. californicus is extremely less sensitive to Melissa oil and Melissacide than the pest T. urticae in the laboratory. When N. californicus was sprayed with (LC50 and LC90 values reported on T. urticae), females mortalities ranged between 8.5–13%, respectively. Melissacide is non-persistent in the environment due to its volatile nature. No phytotoxicity was observed in bean plant after four weeks of Melissacide treatment.Results obtained chemically from M. officinalis oil, may suggest that the higher percentage of benzene, 1(1,5dimethyl-4hexenyl)4methyl (= α-curcumene), caryophyllene oxide, ëCadinol and cedrene of the oil could be responsible for the toxic effect